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Pros and cons

Low prices

Wide range of handsets

Short contracts available

Unlimited tariffs aren’t really unlimited

Mid-contract price hikes

Poor customer service

What we like

Low prices

With a range of monthly phone contracts and SIM-only plans available, it’s good to see Talkmobile offers start at a relatively low £5 per month. The Small 12 month SIM-only plan gives you 100 minutes, 5000 texts and 100MB of data on a 12-month contract.

The most expensive SIM-only plan is only £15 per month too, and comes with 5000 minutes, 5000 texts, and 4GB of data to use each month.

If you sign up for a contract smartphone, prices start at just £7 per month with no upfront cost (just don't expect these cheap plans to come with newly released handsets). All handset plans require a 24-month contract.

Wide range of handsets

There’s an impressive range of smartphones available for customers who sign up to a 24-month contract. At the budget end of the spectrum there are basic models designed for those who just want to call and text (these start at £7 per month).

Short contracts available

If you don't want to be tied to a contract you can opt for a 30-day contract. There are a variety of 30-day plans that come with up to 1000 minutes, 5000 texts and 2GB. With a shorter contract, you'll have the freedom to switch without having to pay any termination fees.

What we don’t like

No unlimited tariffs

Previously, Talkmobile used to offer plans with unlimited minutes and texts. However, the top amount of texts and minutes you can get at the moment is 5,000 – if you are after unlimited you may want to shop elsewhere.

Mid-contract price hikes

It was announced in April 2013 that Talkmobile was imposing a 3% price increase on its existing pay-monthly customers – including those who were mid-way through their current contract.

This affected the line rental, meaning all its customers were hit by the rise. Changes in Ofcom regulations now protect consumers from such hikes, but the price rise alienated many Talkmobile customers.

Poor customer service

You only have to scroll down to the comments on Talkmobile below to get a snapshot of the provider’s customer service. And it isn’t pretty. Issues include poor signal, data wastage, difficulty cancelling contracts and unhelpful staff.

The most common problem is customers not receiving alerts when they hit their data limit and unknowingly incurring extra charges until they receive a huge bill. Though Talkmobile now lets you check your balance by calling 5888 from your Talkmobile phone.

Conclusion

Whether or not Talkmobile is the right choice for you comes down to what you’re looking for from your mobile. If you want a simple, affordable mobile service, are eager to have that real-world connection with a customer sales team, or just don’t care that much about data, then Talkmobile may well be the right choice.

But if you're worried about hidden charges or a bad customer experience, it may be worth looking elsewhere.